


I See You When You Hide

by Sendryl



Series: The Darker The Weather // The Better The Man [2]
Category: Naruto
Genre: Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, Anbu Hatake Kakashi, Angst, Because Rin deserved WAY better, DANZO MUST DIE, Day 2, Doctor Rin, Dog Hatake Kakashi, Dog Teeth Kakashi, Double Agents, Hurt/Comfort, Identity Porn, Jinchuuriki Nohara Rin, KMP Detective Obito, KakaObi Week 2020, KakaObi2020 Day 2: Spies & Secret Agents, M/M, Mistaken Identity, No beta we die like very tired insomniacs, Not literally but they share similarities, Root was a mistake for everyone involved, Sai's the double agent, Spies & Secret Agents, The Rin/Anko is very minor because this is supposed to be KakaObi week lol, This time with even MORE Mistaken!, Undercover, except Danzo, i think it is at least, it's Sai
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-13
Updated: 2020-02-13
Packaged: 2021-02-27 20:02:07
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,737
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22691458
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sendryl/pseuds/Sendryl
Summary: Detective Uchiha Obito hates Anbu Agent Hound.He loves venting to his best friend Kakashi about it.They've been working closely together on an assignment, and Obito's sure he's never been closer to strangling Hound than when he finds Kakashi with Hound's mask in his hands.Kakashi's pretty sure his entire life just shattered around him.Oh, and Team Minato adopts Sai. It's happening, Sai, just accept it and let it happen.
Relationships: Hatake Kakashi/Uchiha Obito, Mitarashi Anko/Nohara Rin, Namikaze Minato/Uzumaki Kushina
Series: The Darker The Weather // The Better The Man [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1630276
Comments: 18
Kudos: 410
Collections: KakaObi Week 2020





	I See You When You Hide

**Author's Note:**

> I See You When You Hide
> 
> When You Lie It's No Surprise

  
  


"I'm worried" Detective Uchiha says.

Hound nods in agreement, his mask glinting in the dim lighting of Detective Uchiha’s office. It’s well past midnight, their usual meeting time, and Agent Sai has already gone, making his way back to Root headquarters.

His report today was… Disturbing at best.

Despite himself, Hound had felt ice slide down his spine as Agent Sai recounted his Root missions over the last fortnight. He’d conducted twenty assassinations in fourteen days, five of them taking place simultaneously during a summit of the Lightning Daimyo’s chief advisors.

He’d delivered his report with a dead-eyed stare and an even voice, no tremor betraying any nerves, none of the fidgeting that would be expected from a child his age. He’s a Root agent through and through, an emotionless, soulless killer, and it’s a dreadful thing to see in a child who isn’t even in double digits yet.

Agent Sai’s situation should be heartbreaking, but Hound won’t let himself care. He can’t afford to show any emotion at all, not in front of Detective Uchiha. He’d catch him out instantly, and Hound’s Anbu career would be over.

The required secrecy has never chafed at him so much as it has these last six months. Working closely with Obi-

_Detective Uchiha, you have to maintain distance from your targets and allies, Hound._

Working closely with Detective Uchiha has been difficult.

Hound keeps wanting to crack a joke or slouch or pull out Kakashi’s book to make Obi- 

_Detective Uchiha, godsdamnit._

_Maa._

It’s been difficult.

“Worried?” Hound asks, after he realizes that Detective Uchiha is waiting for a response. He was arguing with himself in his head for far too long.

“Yes,” Detective Uchiha frowns up at him. He’s sitting at his desk, coded reports spread out in front of him, the protective seals along every wall shining a dim orange. Minato-sensei had despaired when Obito took longer than any of them to learn basic sealing, but Kushina-taicho-

_Kushina-san, Minato-san, agh. Would that make young Obito “Obito-san”?_

Working with people he’s close to is so damn difficult. He has to maintain a distance between them, not only in his outward self but in his thoughts too. It’s one of the most difficult parts of being Anbu.

Kushina- _san_ had laughed herself silly when Obito- _san_ admitted he’d spent two months perfecting a variant to his seals that would make them channel orange chakra instead of the typical blue. Minato- _san_ fainted the first time Obito-san had set up a protective seal with bright orange chakra.

Hound tunes back in to reality in time to hear Ob- Detective Uchiha sigh.

“Sai-kun has been in Root for far too long. I think it’s time to pull him out.”

Detective Uchiha’s brow is creased in thought, plots and plans clearly being considered and discarded at will. “He deserves to have whatever remains of his childhood, at the very least,” he mutters, and Hound wants to agree. But… 

“Agent Sai can handle himself,” Hound replies. “He was amenable to the plan when we approached him, and he’s conducted himself admirably since its implementation.”

Detective Uchiha _sighs._ Hound hates that sound, because it always means he’s about to be scolded.

“ _Hound,_ ” Detective Uchiha says, his voice clipped and controlled, and Hound was wrong, he’s not about to be scolded, he’s about to be told off. He hates that even more, because when barbs and jabs and harsh words fly from anyone else’s mouth he can brush it off easily, but from Obito? _His Obito?_

It hurts.

Obito would never say anything hurtful to _Kakashi._ He knows how deeply Kakashi takes criticism, how much weight his words put on Kakashi’s shoulders, and he’s always careful to explain himself and treat Kakashi with care, even when they’re arguing.

But Detective Uchiha has no qualms about being harsh and cruel and using all his biting intellect against Anbu Agent Hound, especially when they disagree about Agent Sai, as they often have over the last six months.

Kakashi knows that Obito’s planning to adopt Sai, once they’ve pulled him out of Root and made sure he’s safe. Obito mentioned it in passing at a team dinner, only a week after meeting Sai, and Kakashi had thought it was a joke at first. But Obito kept bringing it up, getting Rin and Minato-sensei and Kushina-taicho on board, and eventually, despite himself and despite knowing exactly how messed up a Root child would be, Kakashi got on board too. The rest of the team doesn’t officially know who Sai is, since he’s an undercover agent, but they’ve heard countless stories and all of Obito’s dreams for the future.

He wants to give Sai all the care and protection he can, and all of Team Minato is behind him on that.

But what that means for Hound is that since Detective Uchiha can’t actually protect Sai from Root yet, his protective instincts are left to fester and rot and Detective Uchiha regularly turns all that hate against him. At least once a meeting, Detective Uchiha wields his scathing sarcasm and throws razor-sharp jabs and cuts straight through Hound’s armor to slice into Kakashi’s heart.

And he can’t take it right now. _Kakashi_ can’t take it right now. Not when he’s finally allowed himself to care, to notice how Sai’s situation is pushing every one of Kakashi’s panic buttons. Kakashi can see himself so easily in the young artist. He might’ve ended up just like Sai, if he’d actually lost everyone. Every time he looks at Sai he sees his younger self, and it’s been difficult to refrain from giving Sai the lessons he’d most needed as a child.

But Sai only knows Hound. Not Kakashi. And he’s had to be so careful to keep it that way.

Tonight has been worse than usual, and the lines in his head between Anbu Agent Hound and Kakashi are blurring already. This mission has pushed them closer together than ever, and Kakashi really can’t take Obito’s derisive words tonight. He won’t be able to slot them into Hound’s persona without getting some overflow into Kakashi’s.

Hound makes the executive decision to end the fight before it begins.

He moves toward Detective Uchiha, stalks across the room from his corner by the window all the way to the desk, and deliberately leans into Detective Uchiha’s space, looming over him where he sits.

“Convince me.” The words are an icy demand, completely different from Kakashi’s lazy requests.

“What?” Detective Uchiha says, pushing away from the desk to try to regain some of the upper hand.

Hound just leans in closer, looms harder, and this wouldn’t work at all if Detective Uchiha had any idea who he was under the mask, but he has no clue that it’s Kakashi beneath Hound’s mask, that he’d never harm a hair on Obito’s head, and Hound can see the apprehension in Detective Uchiha’s eyes.

That hurts too.

“Convince me that we should pull Agent Sai from Root, Detective Uchiha.”

And at that, Detective Uchiha’s eyes light up in victory, and he leans closer, outlining his multi-step plan to get Agent Sai out of Root, out of Danzo’s grasp. Hound gradually settles his weight back on his feet as he listens.

It’s a good plan, he has to admit. It’s not as watertight as their previous plan, but the goal there was to gather evidence against Danzo that they could present to Hokage-sama. The goal has changed now, Detective Uchiha has convinced him, and they spend another couple hours in the darkened office ironing out their extraction plan.

The plan is going to involve a cloned body double and a failed mission, in a subtle, _“Fuck you,”_ to Danzo. Payback for all the missions he’s used to change Konoha to suit his will. Detective Uchiha freely admits that it’s payback for Sakumo as well, and his reasoning warms Kakashi’s heart.

“Danzo never paid for attempting to sabotage Sakumo and forcing him to be dropped as a Hokage candidate. Sakumo is a great man and an amazing shinobi. He’s just one more person who deserves having Danzo brought to justice. The Sandaime never investigated Danzo for his role in Sakumo’s failed mission. He never even reprimanded him, even though he _knew_ Danzo had orchestrated the whole thing.” Detective Uchiha scoffs, a sour look crossing his face as he recalls the many failings of the late Sandaime. He had passed in his sleep a few months back and became the first Hokage both to retire and then die in peacetime. His funeral was well-attended and he was sorely missed and revered by many.

But not by any member of Team Minato. They all know the Sandaime’s failings far too well to want him back.

“Good thing Minato-sensei is taking this seriously,” Detective Uchiha mutters, scrawling the chicken-scratch code they’ve been using to conceal the details of their latest plan. Hokage-sama will be able to read it, but anyone else attempting to break Detective Uchiha’s Hound-approved code _and_ decipher Obito’s terrible handwriting is in for a headache and not much else.

Even Hound gets a headache trying to read Detective Uchiha’s notes and missives, and he was given the code’s key to help him along.

While Detective Uchiha writes his unbreakable reports to the Hokage, Hound considers what they’re going to need to do to help Agent Sai settle into the village. Agent Sai is still quite young, and although he doesn’t know his exact age or birthday, Hound would put him at no older than nine.

_He’ll need to join a chunin squad,_ Hound thinks, but suddenly Kakashi remembers his own experiences as an early chunin with one friend and terrible socialization skills. He remembers failing his first combat mission and being demoted to genin. He remembers Obito and Rin and how his lack of understanding of the most important rules of being a shinobi almost got them all killed. It was only thanks to Obito’s kindness, Rin’s stubbornness, and Minato-sensei’s worry that they all survived that disastrous Kannabi Bridge mission. Kushina-taicho was there to make sure Kakashi picked up the pieces of his shattered sense of self in the aftermath, and Tou-san forced Kakashi to eat and sleep and keep his body going until his mind recovered.

At least Kakashi had had some semblance of a childhood, thanks to his father and his team.

Sai hasn’t had anyone to give him that, so he’s going to need to start from scratch.

_He needs to join a genin team._

Kakashi firmly resolves to make it happen.

“Detective Uchiha,” Hound says, and his mission partner’s head snaps up at the commanding tone. “How soon can you give Sai the signal to pull out of Root?”

Hound has the distinct pleasure of watching Detective Uchiha’s mouth open and close like a landed fish for a few long moments.

“I - You’re serious. Um,” Detective Uchiha shakes himself out of his shock and finally answers. “Three days. I know he’ll be on patrol on the southern border, and I can easily meet up with him there.” Detective Uchiha’s hand twitches toward his Sharingan eye, the pair to Hound’s own. Not that Detective Uchiha knows that. Just like Hound isn’t supposed to know about kamui, and exactly how easily Detective Uchiha can meet with their agent.

Hound takes a moment to review the plan in his mind, checking and double checking and accounting for errors and as much random chance as he can.

The plan is sound. It’s their best shot at getting Agent Sai out of Root unharmed.

Hound takes an imperceptibly deep breath and nods at Detective Uchiha.

“Do it.”

Detective Uchiha jumps up from his seat and punches the air like an over-excited child, and Hound is thankful for the mask concealing his grin.

As Hound turns to make his way back to Anbu headquarters, Kakashi steadies his resolve.

Sai hasn’t had a childhood yet.

It’s time someone gave him the chance to have one.

He’s one of Kakashi’s kids, after all.

Hound’s steps almost falter as Kakashi realizes that he’s considering Sai as _his._ It’s already happened, and Kakashi has never been able to fully cut himself off from anyone he considers precious, so there’s no point fighting it. The last six months have put him into repeated contact with a traumatized child in need of rescue, and it’s a wonder Kakashi didn’t realize until now that he considers Sai pack.

Sai.

Who hasn’t had a childhood.

Who was forced to fight to the death with his adopted older brother.

Who has been sent on mission after blood-soaked mission with little to no time to rest or heal.

Who hasn’t had a single person to call his own since Shin died.

Kakashi’s mind whirls, and he makes his way to his apartment in a daze.

Sai hasn’t had anyone to protect him.

Until now.

**

The great thing about Anbu is how easy it is to hide your identity.

You put on the same uniform as everyone else, you wear a wig or hood if your hair’s distinctive, and you always, _always_ drop off your mask and gear at headquarters before heading home.

Kakashi’s always appreciated how easy it was to hide his participation in Anbu from his team.

Which is why he feels like such an idiot when Obito barges into his apartment and Kakashi’s still holding Hound’s mask in his godsdamned hand.

Obito always comes over after his meetings with Hound, and Kakashi has always been careful to quickly drop off his mask and gear at headquarters and dash home in time to appear to have been relaxing there for hours.

Today though, he’d been in such a daze after his realization about Sai, he completely forgot to go to headquarters first. He hadn’t even hurried home, taking the longer Anbu paths hidden throughout the village to give himself more time to think about how best to take care of Sai once they’ve pulled him out.

He’s not surprised that he forgot Obito would come over. He hasn’t adopted a new pack member since Naruto was born, after all, so some shock is to be expected. But he is really kicking himself for not at least leaving his mask in one of the Anbu paths.

Because Obito _always_ comes over after his meetings with Hound.

Mainly to vent about Hound to Kakashi.

Entirely to vent about Hound to Kakashi, actually.

Detective Uchiha is professional and does his best not to show it, but Obito _hates_ Hound.

Hound is the antithesis of the Kakashi Obito knows. Hound is cold and unfeeling, emotionless and logic-driven. Hound always completes the mission, regardless of the cost to himself. Kakashi can’t bring himself to let his mission partners get hurt in any way he can prevent, but Hound only steps in if they’re in serious danger. Hound doesn’t make jokes, doesn’t smile, doesn’t try to make himself someone Obito would enjoy spending time with.

Since he joined Anbu, it’s been a cruelly hilarious irony in Kakashi’s life that his best friend hates him about half the time.

That might have just been upgraded to _hates him all the time_ though, judging by the way Obito’s eyes are slowly filling with rage.

“Ahh,” Kakashi says.

He can’t think of anything else to say. There’s absolutely no salvaging this situation, and he’s fairly certain that trying to brush Obito off or pretend he has _Hound’s mask_ in his hand for non- _Kakashi-is-Hound_ reasons will result in a fuma shuriken attack.

“You’re Hound,” Obito says. Even though his eyes are practically snapping, his voice is toneless, and his expression is slowly blanking out entirely.

“I am,” Kakashi admits, matching Obito’s tone as best he can when his mind is screaming at him. He’s never been more thankful for his mask, because he’s pretty sure his expression would give away his outright terror.

Kakashi isn’t going to move and break the stillness in the apartment lest Obito snap and start a fight, but he wishes he’d had time to pull his hitai-ate down after taking off Hound’s mask. He doesn’t want this conversation preserved in his mind in perfect clarity. He doesn’t want to be able to remember Obito’s cold expression and the rejection that is sure to come.

Obito closes his eyes for a brief moment. When he opens them again, the rage is gone entirely.

“You’ve been Hound the entire time,” he says. Obito’s unreadable now, a bland look of contemplation masking all his usual tells. His eyes are shuttered and cold.

“Yes,” Kakashi agees.

“Every time I complained to you, every time you listened to me yelling about how cold and heartless Hound was…” Obito trails off, and there’s a slight catch in his voice, but his expression stays even and uninterested and Kakashi can’t tell what he’s feeling.

Kakashi nods.

Obito _laughs,_ a sudden harsh bark of pained laughter, and Kakashi’s so tense he actually startles.

His movement catches Obito’s attention, and his eyes finally spark to life again, even if his face stays blank. He meets Kakashi’s gaze with wild eyes, both their Sharingans spinning madly in turmoil.

“You lied to me! All this time, you’ve been _lying_ to me. Was it funny, listening to me vent about you, _to you?_ All the things I’ve said, all this time I’ve been talking about Sakumo, about Sai, about _you,_ and you never said anything! How could you, Kakashi?!”

There’s an answer to that, a good one. Kakashi had to keep his identity secret. Anbu aren’t allowed to tell _anyone_ who they are and Obito knows that, but it doesn’t feel like enough at this point. It’s not a good enough reason, not when they’ve been working together so closely for the last six months, not when Kakashi could have refused to work with Obito as Hound. There were other Anbu who had also been Root at one time. He could’ve let any of them take his place.

But he wanted to be close to Obito in any way he could, and the thought of some other Anbu getting to work with him, getting to see how strong and noble and _good_ Obito is… The thought that some other Anbu might see what Kakashi sees… Might have the courage to act on it… He couldn’t let that happen. Even if it would have meant Obito might finally find some lasting happiness with another person.

Kakashi is a selfish man, after all, and the thought of Obito with another person is too painful for words.

He doesn’t answer Obito, can’t explain himself without giving everything away, and he just stares at his best friend, the man he cherishes above all others, and feels his world crumbling around him. There’s a stabbing sensation in Kakashi’s heart, a knife of regret and fear and certainty that this is it, that there’s nothing left between him and Obito now.

And then Obito drives the knife in further.

_“Or should I just call you Hound?”_

Obito’s face isn’t blank anymore. He’s viciously furious, his mouth twisted in a cruel snarl, his scars making the expression even more horrifying.

Kakashi can feel Obito’s eye filling with tears, and he doesn’t know how long he can hold them back.

Obito twists the knife.

“You did well in Root, didn’t you? It must’ve been easy for you to cut off your emotions.”

Kakashi can’t breathe. The air feels like it’s filled with poison, Obito’s murderous words stealing the breath right from his lungs. Everything he’s saying is true, and it _hurts._

And then Obito drives the knife all the way home, and Kakashi feels the exact moment his heart breaks.

“You were happy to cut your connections to your precious people, weren’t you? No more worrying, no more care, nothing to hold you back. Just you and your mission. You’d go back if you could, wouldn’t you?”

“No!” Kakashi cries out, and his tears overflow, blurring his vision just enough to block Obito’s cruel expression from sight. “I wouldn’t, I wasn’t,” he stutters, but he can’t catch his breath, and a sob tears its way out of his throat.

He wants to say that he changed, that he’s learned to care for his comrades, that he’s learned how to protect his precious people and how to love them with his whole self, but he can’t. Obito’s right. Root _was_ easy for Kakashi. He wouldn’t go back, he knows that, and he’d never been able to fully cut his connections, but everything else Obito’s said was true, and sometimes… Sometimes Kakashi feels like he hasn’t changed at all.

He can’t refute Obito’s words. His heart is a mess of shattered glass in his chest and every breath slices him open against the shards.

Obito takes a step forward, and through his tears Kakashi can just make out his hand reaching toward him, to grab him or hit him or shake him or… 

He _can’t._

He pulls his hitai-ate down, tears immediately soaking the fabric, but it’s too late.

He’s never going to forget this fight.

Kakashi tears past Obito in a stumbling rush of motion, nothing like his usual smooth movement, and when Obito makes a grab for where he expects Kakashi will be based on knowledge gained from years of fighting together, Kakashi isn’t there.

He trips his way past Obito’s outstretched hand and in another instant, he’s gone.

**

Obito stands stock-still in the empty apartment, staring after Kakashi’s fleeing form, silhouetted by the sun just cresting the horizon.

It’s a brand new day, and Obito has just managed to fuck up the most important relationship in his life.

His rage crashes down and leaves burning shame and horror in its wake.

“Fuck,” he whispers. “What have I done? What do I - _FUCK!”_

Obito _knows_ how deeply Kakashi takes criticism, especially from him. His words are heavy weights on Kakashi’s shoulders. It’s been that way since the bridge, and Obito’s learned to always be careful to explain himself and his emotions and his words and he’s learned to treat Kakashi so gently, even when they’re arguing.

Especially when they’re arguing.

And now, the one time he really should’ve been paying attention and reading Kakashi’s cues, he’s fucked it all up.

He made Kakashi _cry._

He’s never going to forgive himself for that.

Obito dashes to the window, intending to attempt to catch up to Kakashi and explain himself, beg for forgiveness, do anything he can to erase the last few minutes - _it only took a few minutes to tear Kakashi to shreds, how the fuck could_ Kakashi _be the monster out of the two of them, take a good hard look at yourself Obito, your rage has always been your greatest weakness and you should know better by now than to let it control you_ \- but then he senses a familiar chakra, flaring in a distinctive pattern.

Sai is sending out the distress signal he and Obito created.

Sai needs him.

Obito flings himself out the window with another curse and lets kamui whirl him away.

**

“Hokage-sama,” Hound says, a split second after leaping through the open window just after lunchtime, Anbu mask firmly in place.

“Hound,” Hokage-sama greets him, his ever-present smile beaming brightly.

There’s no way Kakashi’s letting Minato-sensei see his devastation. He pulls Hound’s persona over him like a security blanket, and all his emotions go quiet and still. It’s all still there, the horror and fear and heartbreak is just as strong as it was a few moments ago, but it’s now a swift and deadly current, trapped beneath ice, instead of a raging torrent that has Kakashi in its grip.

In his mind’s eye he can see Hound standing on top of the ice, controlled and calm, while Kakashi chokes on his turmoil and drowns beneath his feet.

He knows the fallout is going to be worse once he thaws the ice, but this is the only way he can properly report his failure to Hokage-sama.

“Detective Uchiha found out who I am,” Hound says, and bows his head in apology.

Hokage-sama inhales in shock at exactly the wrong moment and chokes on his own spit. Hound doesn’t even twitch, but a distant part of Kakashi is looking forward to telling Kushina-taicho about Minato-sensei’s latest airhead moment.

“I was under the impression that he already knew,” Hokage-sama sputters. “You’re allowed to tell him your identity, you know.”

Hound doesn’t move, doesn’t show any sign that anything has changed, but inside, Kakashi has gone completely silent.

“I could’ve told him?”

“Well, yes,” Hokage-sama says, blinking bemusedly. “It’s always been Anbu policy that spouses and partners can be informed. They don’t typically know which mask you wear, although that’s a bit of a grey area considering how often you all avoid the hospital and make for home while bleeding all over your Anbu gear. Weren’t you told - ah.” Hokage-sama’s eyes light up with understanding. “You became Anbu so young, they probably didn’t go over the rules regarding relationships in enough detail. Pick up a copy of Anbu Fraternization Rules when you get back to headquarters, Hound, that will explain everything. And apologize to your partner while you’re at it.”

Hokage-sama’s mouth twitches with barely-hidden amusement. Probably at the thought of what exactly Obito is going to do when Kakashi tells him that he could’ve told him _the entire time._

Kakashi isn’t able to see the humor in the situation though, not after the fight he and Obito just had.

Actually, maybe telling him that it was all a big misunderstanding might help?

Kakashi thinks about how furious Obito was, and his Sharingan helpfully provides a perfect recollection of the sheer unadulterated rage on Obito’s face when he figured it all out.

...On second thought, maybe it’s better not to tell him after all. He can avoid Obito for the next, oh, _forever,_ can’t he?

Hound takes a second too long to answer, and Hokage-sama pins him with a stare, all mirth gone from his face.

“That’s an order, Hound. Pick up a copy of the rules, read it all the way through, and apologize to your partner.”

“Yes, Hokage-sama,” Hound agrees. Kakashi is busy screaming obscenities. Mainly at himself for ignoring the relevant sections of the rulebook the first time he read it.

There’s something off about what Hokage-sama said, something important that Kakashi knows he’s missing, but he can’t figure out what it is because his thoughts aren’t working well enough to even register the error.

There’s a high-pitched screech ringing through his brain all the way to headquarters. He reads the rulebook, tucked away inside Icha Icha, all the way home. It takes him until early evening to get through the whole book, saving the most important section for last, to give himself as much time as possible to steady himself before he learns exactly how much of a dumbass he’s been.

Once he finishes the rulebook, he concludes that he's been a pretty massive dumbass.

He’s about to lay down to sleep, intending to curl around the ninken piled on his futon and finally allow himself the bliss of unconsciousness after a full two days awake, but he’s got an odd sense that he’s missing something. He thinks back over the day, and as his brain recounts Minato-sensei’s words and the rules he’d mentioned, Kakashi feels a growing sense of disbelieving horror overcome him.

He’d listened to Minato-sensei’s explanation and read the section about when an Anbu can reveal their identity with a single-minded focus on the possibility of reconciling with Obito. It’s only now that the implication hits him.

“Partner?” Kakashi whispers to himself, glancing over at the rulebook as if it will have answers for him. It had a whole section on the rules about revealing your identity to your partner and _it was all about romantic relationships, how did he not register that until now?!_ It wasn’t about mission partners at all! How could Minato-sensei have thought that he and Obito were anything more than friends?! He’s known them for years! He’s their sensei! How could he be so blind?!

There’s something else lurking in his memory of Minato-sensei’s explanation. He can feel it, bobbing just beneath his surface thoughts like a monstrous sea creature, threatening to break the ice protecting him from the fallout of his fight with Obito.

He takes a few deep breaths to hopefully keep those emotions at bay, and forces himself to think through the rising static in his brain.

Oh.

_Ohhhhh fuck no._

_“Spouse?!”_ He shouts in confusion as he finally recalls Minato-sensei’s words, startling the ninken pile into a madly-barking mess of flailing limbs.

His neighbors are yelling at him to control his dogs and someone from the floor below is throwing kunai into their ceiling in what is probably a sleep-deprived rage, but Kakashi just collapses onto the futon facefirst and forces himself to pass out instead of thinking any more.

Thoughts of having Obito as his partner, _as his spouse,_ have always led to dangerous territory, and Kakashi doesn’t want to find out what he’ll do in his current state if he thinks on such things too long. Better to face it in the morning, when he can feign ignorance properly.

He’ll make a plan to deal with his emotions and avoid Obito for eternity and mourn the loss of his dearest friend and probably cry a lot.

But for now all he wants to do is sleep.

**

Obito derails the ignorance plan entirely by breaking into his apartment via the window an hour later drenched in blood with an unconscious and clearly injured Sai over his shoulder.

“Danzo’s dead,” he says, and Kakashi can only blink at him from his defensive crouch as all their careful planning is thrown to the wind.

**

They end up at Rin’s apartment, dodging both Anbu and Root patrols all the way there, and it’s only the knowledge that every use of kamui increases Obito’s chance of blindness that stops them from using it. Sai isn’t fatally injured, and Obito is moving under his own power, so they keep to the roofs and streets, making it to Rin’s door without incident.

As much as he wants to simply knock the door down, they can’t afford to draw attention to themselves. Kakashi knocks softly, his emergency pattern, and Rin yanks the door open a few seconds later, wrapped in a bathrobe with her hair up in a towel and some kind of green paste all over her face.

The three of them blink at each other in confusion for a moment, and then Rin _sighs._

She turns slightly, directing her face back into the apartment but keeping her eyes trained on Sai, still unconscious in Kakashi’s arms.

“Anko, I’m gonna have to cancel. Right now.” She’s using _that_ voice, the Absolute Authority voice, and Kakashi will swear to anyone who will listen that he’s seen Rin use that voice to literally raise the dead. There’s just no arguing with Rin when she’s like that. “Could you go out the window and not ask questions?”

There’s a grumble from further inside the apartment, and Anko’s annoyed voice drifts out to the landing. Since she’s still in the apartment and hasn’t defenestrated herself, she appears to be immune to the voice, which is very unfair of her.

“Yeah, yeah, so much for our girl’s night in. No goodbye kiss?”

Rin isn’t smiling, but her voice is fond as she calls back, “I’ll make it up to you, sweetheart.”

Anko makes an embarrassed noise, and then there’s two knocks on the window frame in a clear farewell.

The fondness Rin’s been emanating disappears entirely and she frowns at them.

“It’s always something with you two,” she grumbles, pulling them into the apartment.

Kakashi’s always been grateful he knows Rin, grateful that she chose to seriously pursue a medical career and is always willing to look over her team when they’re injured. He’s rarely been more grateful for it than he is now though, knowing that Root will be searching for Obito and Sai, and the first place they’ll check is the hospital.

Obito hasn’t said a single word since he informed Kakashi of Danzo’s death, and Kakashi used hand signs to communicate when they should hide and when it was safe to move again on their way to Rin’s apartment, so he’s understandably nervous when Rin effortlessly scoops Sai out of his arms and disappears into the guest room, leaving him alone with Obito.

He goes to follow, to help and dodge Obito’s questions in one fell swoop, but Obito reaches out and manages to catch him this time.

Kakashi stops dead, still facing the hallway, not wanting to see the disappointment or anger or hatred on Obito’s face.

“I’m sorry,” Obito says.

His voice is _broken,_ clogged with tears and pain and that’s what makes Kakashi whip around to face him. Obito’s crying, tears dripping off his chin, and now that Kakashi’s looking he can tell that not all the blood on Obito is from Danzo’s death. He’s been bleeding this entire time and Kakashi _hadn’t noticed._

“I’m _sorry,_ Kakashi,” Obito repeats, and then his grasp on Kakashi’s wrist loosens and he stumbles forward in a faint.

Kakashi catches him as gently as he can, and he carefully leans over and picks Obito up, carrying him into the guest room in a panic.

“Obito’s hurt too,” he says, breathless and wild, and he sets Obito down on the empty cot ever-so-gently.

Rin had known what she was getting into, becoming a doctor when her team is made up of some of the most self-destructive people Konoha has ever produced. She’d purposely gotten an apartment with two bedrooms and immediately outfitted one as a mini-clinic. She keeps two cots set up at all times, with more folded out of the way just in case. The amount of use this room sees would probably be concerning to anyone who doesn’t know Team Minato.

“The kid has a head injury,” Rin says calmly from the second cot, and when Kakashi turns he can see her glowing hands on either side of Sai’s head.

“I need to heal this first and make sure he wakes up coherent. Strip Obito down and see where he’s injured.”

Kakashi follows Rin’s instructions, drawing a kunai and cutting away Obito’s clothes so he doesn’t have to move him any more than necessary.

There’s a deep, thin slice across his chest, the distinctive clean edges of a futon jutsu visible now that Kakashi’s cut away his clothes, and when Rin directs him to the disinfectant and gauze he cleans the cut as best as he can.

They switch as soon as Sai starts to stir, Kakashi ready to stop him if he tries to bolt while Rin closes Obito’s wound.

“Hey kid,” Kakashi says as soon as Sai’s eyes open. “You’re safe, Obito’s getting healed, everything’s going to be alright.”

Sai doesn’t try to run, just sits up slowly. Kakashi hovers just in case, but he doesn’t touch Sai without his permission, and this seems to be the right move, since the next time Sai looks at him his gaze is calm and calculating.

Sai looks over to the other cot, and Rin, still in her robe and towel, the green paste on her face drying and starting to flake at the edges, moves enough to show him her hands as she smoothly heals Obito’s wound.

“We’re in my apartment,” Rin mutters, focused on her work. “These two numbskulls are my teammates, and they have a terrible habit of bursting in here for healing at all hours.”

“To be fair,” Kakashi says to Sai, continuing the light-hearted banter in an effort to keep both Sai and himself calm, “Rin’s the one who put a clinic in here in the first place. So it’s like she was asking us to come here instead of the hospital, don’t you think?”

“No hospitals,” Sai says, the first words he’s spoken since waking, and Kakashi nods even as he winces internally.

“No hospitals,” he agrees. “That’s why we’re here instead. Root would be looking for us at the hospital.”

Sai’s eyes go wide. He looks at Obito, a tiny spark of wonder in his expression. It’s the first emotion Kakashi’s ever seen him show. It’s a good sign.

“Obito-san killed Danzo-sama,” Sai whispers. “He killed him, even though we had a plan to follow. Why would he do that?”

Kakashi looks over his shoulder at Obito. He’s just starting to come around, groaning a little at the feeling of Rin’s medical chakra in his system. He’s got too much foreign chakra in his system after all Madara’s experiments, and while his body accepts foreign chakra easily, it’s always a little painful. He trusts Rin to use as little of her chakra as possible, so he turns a reassuring smile back on Sai.

He’s still going to have to face Obito, have to apologize to him and get him to explain why he thought _he_ needed to apologize, but right now he’s got to focus on Sai. That was Team Minato’s plan, after all. Once Sai was out of Root, they’d take care of him.

Kakashi’s got to start doing that now, starting with explaining Obito’s actions as best he can.

“Were you in danger?” Kakashi asks, and he could kick himself for the way Sai’s expression shutters again as he nods.

“Obito-san made me promise to alert him if I was in danger. Danzo-sama,” Sai pauses, and his voice wavers slightly when he continues. “Danzo-sama gave me a mission as a body double.”

Kakashi feels his chakra flare with murderous intent for a split second before he reigns it in, but Sai isn’t afraid. He merely glances at Kakashi with _recognition_ in his eyes.

“Hound-san?” He asks.

“Ah.” Kakashi doesn’t know why his secret identity is being revealed all over the place all of a sudden when he’s managed to keep it hidden for years, but he really doesn’t appreciate it. “Yes,” he answers, “I’m Hound. But that’s a secret, Sai-kun. When I’m out of the mask I go by Kakashi.”

“Kakashi-san,” Sai says, and Kakashi smiles down at him. “I apologize. I am the reason Obito-san was injured. What is my punishment?”

There’s a moment of absolute silence in the room, and Kakashi’s glad he’s already got his chakra under control, because he’s raging inside. Rin’s chakra pulses once, but she controls herself as well.

“There’s no punishment for doing the right thing, Sai-kun,” he murmurs.

Sai looks up at him, lost. “I do not understand, Kakashi-san.”

“Obito told you to alert him if you were in danger.” Kakashi says, slouching so he’s almost on Sai’s eye level. “You did exactly as he asked. There’s no punishment for that.”

“But he was injured due to my actions,” Sai argues, and there’s a bit of frustration bleeding into his eyes.

Kakashi’s glad to see it. Root hasn’t stamped out Sai’s emotions entirely after all, it seems.

It’s even more obvious when he clearly sees a flash of relief cross Sai’s face at the sight of Rin helping Obito sit up.

“Sai-kun,” Obito says, smiling fondly. “You’re alright.”

“I am healed,” Sai agrees, and Rin clicks her tongue against her teeth in response.

“You’re still healing, is what you are. You had a head injury and a severe concussion, Sai-kun.” She’s using her doctor voice, and Sai responds by snapping to attention, like he’s gearing up to report after a mission. Rin notices and immediately softens her voice. “I was only able to decrease your concussion’s severity, not get rid of it entirely. I’d like for you to stay here overnight, so I can make sure you won’t have any issues. Would you mind staying?”

Sai’s eyes are wide, and he looks to Obito for guidance. Obito smiles, as kindly as ever.

“I’m not your superior any more, Sai-kun. You can choose for yourself.”

It’s the wrong thing to say. Sai’s eyes widen even more in panic, his breathing picking up speed, and Obito starts to reassure him.

“Sai-kun,”

Kakashi cuts him off.

“You’re one of us now.”

Sai’s panicked breathing slows as he looks up at Kakashi.

“What do you mean?” He asks, and he sounds so painfully _young_ that Kakashi has to take a moment to breathe through his fury at Danzo. No sense raging at a dead man when there’s a child in need right in front of him.

“We’re Team Minato. Our sensei is Namikaze Minato, our taichou is Uzumaki Kushina, and our members are Uchiha Obito, Nohara Rin, and myself, Hatake Kakashi. And we’re adopting you into our family.”

“...What?” Sai croaks, his voice rough.

Obito and Rin are smiling and nodding.

“I started planning it after our first week working together,” Obito says with a sheepish grin, rubbing the back of his head in a movement so reminiscent of their genin days that Kakashi has to smile.

“We all agreed, even though Obito couldn’t tell us your name,” Rin continues with a fond look.

Sai looks skeptical. “You don’t know who I am,” he claims, and a child shouldn’t sound so world-weary. “You don’t know anything about me.”

“I agreed as well, and I know exactly who you are,” Kakashi says, and when Sai’s gaze darts to him in confusion he nods firmly. “You can trust Rin and Minato-sensei and Kushina-taicho just as you’ve been trusting me and Obito. We all want to take care of you.”

Sai wants to let them, it’s clear from the longing in his eyes, but he still looks skeptical. It’s to be expected that he wouldn’t be able to trust so easily, after everything he went through with Root.

Kakashi remembers his own disbelief in his team when he first met them. Maybe the words that helped him then will help Sai now.

“Team Minato lives by two guidelines,” he says.

Sai’s gaze firms, and Kakashi knows he’s got his attention.

“Those who break the rules are trash,” Kakashi says, holding up one finger.

He can hear Obito’s sudden movement behind him, his startled twitch betraying his surprise. Rin isn’t surprised at all. She just nods along, knowing how important Obito’s words have become to Kakashi.

“But those who abandon their comrades are worse than trash,” Kakashi concludes as he raises a second finger.

Sai looks down at his hands.

“I don’t know how to live like that,” he admits, ashamed. “I’ve never had a comrade before.”

“Sure you have,” Obito says, and he points at himself and then Kakashi. “You’ve had me and Kakashi for the last six months, even if you didn’t know it. And you had Shin before, didn’t you?”

“He died,” Sai murmurs, and Obito winces.

Thankfully, Kakashi was leading the conversation in that direction anyway.

“He died protecting you, Sai. That was his choice.” Kakashi waits until Sai meets his eyes before he continues. “You have to protect your comrades. That’s what Shin was doing when he told you to lie to Danzo about killing him. That’s what Obito was doing today, fighting Danzo ahead of time without backup to save your life. Obito got hurt because it was the right thing to do, Sai-kun.” Sai’s eyes are widening again, and Kakashi makes sure to give him a real smile, his visible eye open and kind, as he says, “It’s okay that you don’t know how to protect your comrades. We’ll teach you. We’ll lead by example and protect you first. You’re one of us now, after all, and we take care of our own.”

“Oh,” Sai says, and _there’s_ the understanding and acceptance Kakashi was looking for.

He doesn’t say it aloud, but he’s clearly chosen to put his trust in them.

Sai doesn’t cry. His eyes don’t water and his breath doesn’t hitch, but there’s a tightness to his expression that Kakashi is all too familiar with.

He leans forward and slowly tucks Sai into his side, giving him plenty of time to pull away.

Instead, Sai hides his face in Kakashi’s chest and just breathes.

Rin gives them a minute or so, and then gently repeats her request that Sai stay with her so she can watch over him for the night.

“Root will be looking for me,” Sai says hesitantly, still tucked under Kakashi’s arm, unsure whether he’s allowed to question Rin. When she simply waits for him to finish speaking, he continues. “I don’t want to get you hurt.”

“Did you know I’m the jinchuuriki of the sanbi?” Rin asks with a laugh.

Sai blinks rapidly, then leans closer to her. “You are? Really? Danzo-sama said you’re _really_ strong.”

Rin grins like a smug snapping turtle, and between blinks her eyes become Isobu’s, magenta circles with yellow irises and crimson pupils.

“I am really strong,” she agrees, and Sai hops off the cot to move closer in fascination.

“Can I draw you?” He asks, the words flying out of his mouth without his permission, if the panicked expression that flashes briefly across his face after he speaks is any indication. “Ah, I don’t have my art supplies,” he quickly starts to backtrack, but Rin just nods and blinks her eyes back to normal.

“Sure you can,” she says. “I have lots of ink and paper you’re free to use anytime.”

“I’ll stay with you, then,” Sai decides, and Rin laughingly leads him out into the rest of the apartment.

She looks over the top of his head at Kakashi and Obito and glares at them. _Fix it,_ she mouths, eyes darting back and forth between them, and then she and Sai are gone, and Kakashi can feel Obito’s eyes burning a hole in the back of his head.

**

Obito’s the one who gets them back to Kakashi’s apartment safely, after Rin strictly instructed him to take it easy for the next day. The phrase “No strenuous activity,” was spoken more than once, and Sai’s eyes had sparkled with contained amusement at Obito’s exaggerated eyerolls.

When they finally make it back, they’re reminded that they left Kakashi’s apartment a mess of blood, and Obito assists Kakashi in the cleanup as best as he can. They need to get rid of the blood, reset Kakashi’s traps, and make sure no Root agents planted any nasty surprises while they were gone.

Sai and Rin had been getting along like a house on fire when they left, and Sai had smiled at them when they left Rin’s apartment.

That’s the image Kakashi holds onto, while he’s cleaning up spilled blood and setting traps and sweeping the apartment for nonexistent Root traps.

Once the apartment is back to its usual state of cleanliness, Obito joins Kakashi on the couch to talk.

“There’s a lot we need to say to each other,” Obito starts, and Kakashi hates that he’s always the brave one between them, that Obito’s always the one to start the difficult conversations and share the hard truths. It’s one of Kakashi’s many flaws.

“But first I need to apologize.” Obito sounds ashamed.

“You already did,” Kakashi says slowly, and Obito cocks his head to the side like a confused bird.

“I did?”

“Twice,” Kakashi nods.

“Well I don’t remember that,” Obito says with a wry grin. “And since I don’t remember it, it doesn’t count. So,” the atmosphere in the room shifts, every word taking on a heavy weight, and Kakashi mourns the loss of the ease between them. “I’m sorry,” Obito says, as serious as Kakashi’s ever seen him. “I’m sorry, Kakashi. I was cruel to you.” Obito frowns and drops his head, looking up at Kakashi with a contrite expression.

“You were right,” Kakashi whispers, remembering Obito’s cruel words. He has to keep his voice low or he’s afraid it’ll break. “Everything you said was true.”

“No it wasn’t.” Obito is frowning harder now. “Everything I said was aimed to hurt and it wasn’t true at all.”

Kakashi laughs. He has to laugh or else he’ll cry again, and he’s not going to let himself do that. He casts about for something, anything to say to get Obito off of this topic, and his meeting with Minato pops into his head.

“Minato-sensei thought I had told you I was Hound already,” Kakashi says, praying that Obito will take the bait.

“Why would he think that? Aren’t Anbu identities supposed to be completely secret?” Obito asks. His expression makes it clear that they’ll be returning to their previous topic at a later date, but Kakashi’s just grateful they’re moving on.

“Apparently Anbu can tell their spouses and partners about their participation in Anbu. According to the rulebook Minato-sensei made me read, Anbu aren’t allowed to reveal mission parameters, but they can say whether they’re being called to an Anbu mission or a regular one, and it’s not unusual for a spouse or partner to know which mask their Anbu wears.” Kakashi says it all in one long breath, the familiarity of rules and guidelines soothing him.

Until he looks at Obito. Who is blushing bright red all the way to his ears.

“Minato-sensei thought - “ Obito chokes out, his voice strangled and squeaky in his shock.

“Yeah,” Kakashi laughs, rubbing the back of his head in a nervous twitch he’s picked up from Obito. “I know right? It’s ridiculous to think that we’d get together.” Every word he’s saying sends a tiny spike of pain and self-loathing through his heart. “I mean, look at us,” Kakashi gestures between them. “You’re you and I’m just,” he waves his hand in aimless circles before settling on, “me.”

And Obito’s frowning again. His blush is fading quickly, and there’s a look on his face that Kakashi can’t quite read.

“You’re just you?” Obito repeats, and when Kakashi nods he asks, “What do you mean by that?”

“Well, look at me,” Kakashi says sensibly. Obito doesn’t look impressed, so Kakashi continues, even if it feels like he’s pulling out his own teeth without anesthetic. “Look at my life. Look at my choices. I’ve got so many issues and I’ve done so many awful things. There’s no way we’d ever get together. That’s just - “ Kakashi’s sentence is cut off mid-word by Obito suddenly jumping up from the couch.

“Obito?”

Obito ignores him, pacing around the room in a swift circuit, muttering half-heard words under his breath, worrying at his thumbnail with his teeth.

“Obito, what’s wrong?”

“What’s wrong?” Obito laughs, turning to face Kakashi. “Everything you just said about yourself, about _us._ That’s what’s wrong!”

Kakashi knew Obito didn’t want to be with him. He’s known it for years.

But hearing it said straight to his face hurts more deeply than he thought it would.

Obito must read something of his emotions on his face, because he stops pacing and makes his way back to the couch, stopping just in front of Kakashi.

He sighs.

“No, Kakashi,” he says, scrubbing a hand through his hair in frustration. “Whatever you’re thinking that has you making that face, just… No.”

“I don’t understand,” Kakashi says, and he can hear how lost he sounds. He and Sai are even more similar than he’d thought.

Obito sighs again, and then takes a deep breath and steels himself.

“What were you saying before? I interrupted you when I got up.”

Kakashi blinks, thrown, and thinks for a moment.

His own painful words come back to him in perfect clarity.

“There’s no way we’d ever get together,” Kakashi repeats himself.

Obito shakes his head. “And then you said, ‘That’s just,’ right?”

Kakashi nods.

“That’s just what?” Obito asks, his voice softening. “What were you going to say?”

“...Crazy,” Kakashi finally manages to say. “It’s crazy to think we’d ever end up together. I don’t know how Minato-sensei could be so blind.”

It hurts him to say it, but he needs to explain himself, and he’s not going to lie to Obito anymore.

“Why is that crazy, Kakashi?” Obito asks, still speaking softly, still looking at Kakashi with that understanding expression that’s pushing all Kakashi’s buttons in the worst way.

“Because you’d never want me,” Kakashi says, and there are the tears he’s been trying to fight, prickling at the back of his closed eye. “There’s no way you’d ever want to be in a relationship with me. There’s no way you’d ever want that.”

“That’s not true.”

Obito’s voice is firm and sure and Kakashi can’t believe his ears.

“What?” He croaks hoarsely.

Obito doesn’t answer right away. Instead he reaches out and slowly pushes Kakashi’s hitai-ate up, uncovering his Sharingan. He clearly wants Kakashi to remember this.

“Of course I’d want to be in a relationship with you, Kakashi,” he says, soft and sweet and fond and entirely serious. “I can so easily imagine it, mornings and evenings lying beside you, eating your delicious cooking and arguing over whose turn it is to bathe the ninken, sparring and laughing together and spending our lives together. You’re the only person I’d want that with.”

“You’d want that?” Kakashi murmurs, stunned and hesitant and _shy,_ looking up at Obito through his eyelashes, and Obito sets his mouth in a firm line and nods.

He doesn’t say anything else, just pulls Kakashi up from the couch and gently takes his face in his hands. He pauses, searching Kakashi’s eyes for permission, and then leans forward and kisses Kakashi over his mask.

It’s a chaste thing, the barest brush of lips on fabric, but Kakashi’s breath stutters in his chest at the pressure of Obito’s lips against his, at the way Obito’s body is so close, his hands cupping Kakashi’s face so carefully.

“Yes,” Obito says softly into the space between them, pulling back and brushing Kakashi’s hair out of his eyes. “I want that. I’ve wanted that for so long now.”

Kakashi can’t move for a moment, and he’s so glad his hitai-ate is up, he wants this memory burned into his brain for eternity, wants to always be able to remember exactly how Obito looks right now, blushing and smiling and every bit of kindness Kakashi’s ever wanted condensed into a single person.

Kakashi couldn’t move before, but now he can’t stop himself, and he yanks down his mask and surges forward to kiss Obito senseless. Obito’s eyes widen at the sight of Kakashi’s face, but Kakashi can’t care about anything other than the press of Obito’s mouth against his own, the way Obito opens as soon as Kakashi licks at the seam of his lips. Obito’s hands tug his hair hard enough to pull a groan from Kakashi’s throat, and he pushes further into the kiss, increasing the pull. There isn’t a single thought left in his head, and the stinging bite Obito leaves when he sucks Kakashi’s lip into his mouth leaves him light-headed. It ends far too soon for Kakashi’s liking, as Obito pulls back with a curse after licking his way into Kakashi’s mouth.

Kakashi can see a red scrape on Obito’s tongue as he pulls away, and he can’t stop himself from chuckling when he realizes what happened.

“Sorry,” Kakashi laughs, the sudden depth of his voice making Obito shudder. Kakashi smiles, and Obito’s eyes glaze over slightly at the sight of his sharp teeth. “Should’ve warned you about the fangs.”

“Hng,” Obito responds, reaching out to touch. He stops himself at the last minute, looks up at Kakashi for permission, and Kakashi opens his mouth slightly in a clear invitation.

“Hrng.” Obito’s voice is strangled, his face bright red, but he carefully runs a finger over Kakashi’s teeth anyway.

Kakashi slowly closes his mouth and gently, ever-so-gently, bites Obito’s finger.

Obito whimpers.

Kakashi laughs again, low and soft, and licks Obito’s finger as he pulls away.

He _wants_ Obito, wants him so badly it hurts, but he doesn’t want to rush anything.

Besides, Obito’s still injured.

There’s still the whole Root mess to clean up.

And they still need to talk through all the things Obito said and all the things Kakashi didn’t say.

But Kakashi has hope.

“We can make this work,” he says, confident and firm and convincing, and Obito doesn’t call him out on how he’s obviously trying to convince himself.

Obito just smiles at him, the fire in his eyes banked to smouldering coals, and nods.

“We _will_ make this work,” Obito agrees, and when he pushes, Kakashi allows himself to fall back onto the couch.

“Rin said no strenuous activity,” Obito hedges, pushing and prodding at Kakashi until he’s stretched out on his back on the couch. “Do you think making out for a few hours counts as strenuous activity?”

Kakashi would make a joke, or at least a considering hum, but Obito chooses that moment to climb on top of him and lay down, pressing their bodies tightly together, and his hum comes out as a strained whine.

Obito laughs at him, breathless himself.

“Let’s not ask and pretend she said it was fine,” Kakashi finally manages, reaching up to wrap his arms around Obito and run his hands through his spiky hair.

Obito’s eyes trail over Kakashi’s bared face, and he huffs out another laugh after a moment.

“I should’ve expected the tan line,” he says, running a finger along the border where Kakashi’s mask usually sits. “The mole is a surprise though.”

“You’re a surprise,” Kakashi grumbles, but it’s true, and his eyes widen at the thought. He’d never expected Obito to return his feelings, never dared to hope that Obito would want him like this.

Obito’s curious gaze softens as he reads Kakashi’s thoughts on his face. He doesn’t speak, doesn’t reassure Kakashi or try to convince him that he’s here to stay. Instead, Obito presses forward and kisses him again as his response.

And despite all his self-loathing and his years-old arguments for why Obito would be better off without him, Kakashi can’t argue with that.

Obito kisses like he means it, like he’s giving himself to Kakashi, and Kakashi can only hold on and take him and give himself back in return.

Obito’s seen him, seen who he really is behind all his masks, and he still wants him. He’s going to _stay._

It looks like, for once in his life, Kakashi is going to get what he needs and be able to keep it.

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this in two days.
> 
> TWO. DAYS.
> 
> 2.6k yesterday and 7.1k today.
> 
> HELP.
> 
> I'm so tired.
> 
> Anyway, this doesn't feel quite as polished as I'd like it to be, so I might edit it later, but I just want to stop thinking about it for a while.
> 
> Fic title is from [MISSIO - I See You](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EUDsjB3qbVE).
> 
> I'm SO tired. There are undoubtedly typos and bits that don't make sense. Please politely point them out, because my eyes hurt from looking for them.
> 
> Big thank you to Malakia for suggesting how to kill off Danzo, reminding me that Rin would totally fit in this fic, and suggesting Rin/Anko when my brain glitched on who to ship Rin with, and for just being an awesome person in general. Thank you so much!
> 
> As ever, comments are my lifeblood and I am a vampire.
> 
> Come scream at me on tumblr. I'm [Sendryl](https://sendryl.tumblr.com/) there too.
> 
> And now for the sweet embrace of deat- SLEEP. SLEEP, I MEANT SLEEP.


End file.
